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Bebop Spoken There

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The Things They Say!

Hudson Music: Lance's "Bebop Spoken Here" is one of the heaviest and most influential jazz blogs in the UK.

Rupert Burley (Dynamic Agency): "BSH just goes from strength to strength".

'606' Club: "A toast to Lance Liddle of the terrific jazz blog 'Bebop Spoken Here'"

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band included Be Bop Spoken Here (sic) in their 5 Favourite Jazz Blogs.

Ann Braithwaite (Braithwaite & Katz Communications) You’re the BEST!

Holly Cooper, Mouthpiece Music: "Lance writes pull quotes like no one else!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Monday, March 18, 2019

Blaydon Jazz Club Fundraiser - March 17

Noel Dennis Quartet: Noel Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (bass); Russ Morgan (drums)
(Review by Russell/PHOTOS courtesy of Jerry E)

Thirty-five years of countless memorable jazz nights at Blaydon Jazz Club and Sunday evening's triple bill has to be right up there with the best of them. A full house comprising hardcore regulars and many new faces suggested it was going to be something special, Three bands - the future stars of the Early Bird Band, Alice Grace wowing the Black Bull audience and the amazing Noel Dennis up from Teesside - gave full value for money performances.

Topping the bill was one of the underrated trumpet players of his generation. Noel Dennis chose to pursue a career in academe yet had he elected to make a go of it on the London scene he would have established himself as one of the great 'names' on the national stage. Working with Dennis on this fundraising evening were three fellow musicians who can only be described as 'first call' calibre - pianist Paul Edis, bassist Andy Champion and drummer Russ Morgan. Beautiful Love with Dennis on flugelhorn opened the set. The Teessider is a Geneva Instruments' artist and his sound and performance at the Black Bull were a wonderful endorsement of the company's fine brass instruments. Love for Sale illustrated our trumpeter's quicksilver lyricism with immaculate support from his bandmates. Miles Davis is a hero of our trumpeter and the transition from late fifties Blue in Green to Pharaoh's Dance from Bitches Brew a decade later confirmed Dennis as a master performer. It had been a wonderful hour or so of jazz and the quartet went out on a killer blues in F. 


Alice Grace Quartet: Alice Grace ((vocals); Mark Williams (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums) 

Earlier, vocalist Alice Grace knocked 'em for six with a brilliant performance alongside the depping guitarist Mark Williams (pianist James Harrison was unavailable) and regular sidekicks Paul Grainger, bass and Russ Morgan, drums. Phrasing, timing, recall of a lyric, swing to scat and back again, all within a few bars, Ms Grace is the consummate performer as evinced by her opening number - Secret Love. Fabulous, simply fabulous. And there was more, much more of the same as Grace sang (There Ought to be a) Moonlight Saving TimeBlame it on My Youth (Williams' sublime solo), an object lesson in fours (take note Ed, it was the business!) as Grace and Williams had some fun with There'll Never be Another You and saxophonist Sam Bullard's Travelling Light with lyrics penned by our vocalist. To top it off the Alice Grace Quartet produced an exquisite version of Weaver of Dreams. This set alone justified the admission charge.       

Early Bird Band: Paul Edis MD; Haaruun Miller (alto sax, soprano sax); Lucien Guest (trumpet); Tom Henery (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Dylan Thompson (drums)

Much earlier in the evening with the room nearing capacity the Early Bird Band demonstrated that the future of the music is in safe hands. Tutored by Paul Edis, four young musicians affirmed/reaffirmed the value of music education with a fine performance of familiar but by no means easy material. Ranging from On Green Dolphin Street to Our Love is Here to Stay to The Shadow of Your Smile the Early Birders made a big impression, with those hearing them for the first time being somewhat amazed at just how good they are! Diminutive trumpeter Lucien Guest played with authority, reading the dots like a pro. Haaruun Miller, playing soprano sax, had the no easy task of making something of John Coltrane's take on My Favorite Things. The young man emerged with great credit, surviving the ordeal, if that's what it was, with applause ringing in his ears. The Black Bull's full house rightfully showered similar applause on guitarist Tom Henery who has come on in leaps and bounds over the last six months or so and, the young man at the back, the drummer looking to make a name for himself just as Russ Morgan did some years ago, Dylan Thompson. For the record, the 'senior' members of the ensemble - Messrs Edis and bassist Paul Grainger - did their level best to hang on to the coattails of the young guns. 

Blaydon Jazz Club is soon to celebrate thirty-five years in the business...who'd have thought it?! This fundraising event generated a not to be sniffed at sum which will go a long way in securing the future of a truly grassroots jazz club. Here's to the next thirty-five years!     

Russell.

1 comment :

JERRY said...

Gig of the year so far, for me. It will need something truly exceptional to better it before 2019 ends!
Well done, Roly and all the musicians for a night to remember.

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